Question.... Is this a good sign?

[wgjones3]

I sent a manuscript off a couple of weeks ago, and in the package I included a postage-paid postcard, which I asked to be returned to me upon receipt of the manuscript. My thinking here is that the box would sit in a slushpile for a while and I'd get my postcard back once they got around to it.

I also had a delivery confirmation put on it because, quite frankly, I didn't think the box would make it to its destination (guess I should have had more faith--both in God and in the 3M tape that they mummified the box in at the post office). So I know the box arrived on the 19th and the postcard arrived today, postmarked the 21st.

My question is, is this a good sign that they were keeping an eye out for it and are reading it? Or is it more or less standard proceedure to open incoming packages as they arrive and then toss the contents into the slush pile?

I'm asking 'cause I don't want to get my hopes too high ;)

[DrRita]

Bill,
Didn't you send this to an agent in response to a go ahead? If you did, everything's right on schedule. Or did you send this unsolicitied to a publisher?

[wgjones3]

It was requested... but, in the past, I've never had this fast a turnaround on anything that's been requested.

[Merry]

If it was requested, then you did just fine, but I don't think any conclusions can be drawn just yet. I do it this way: If I'm sending something unsolicited and especially if it's to secular folk, I don't ask for confirmation (I think secular editors are touchy about that). I'll wait about two weeks and then confirm it myself by phone call. Made some very interesting friends that way and managed to sell my own story in the process.

My goodness, you're southern, just think 'friendly.' :D :D